Farewell,My Artist

I woke up on my own again.I immediately looked at my alarm clock.I mean my phone.It was already eight-oclock in the morning.As usual,I ignored the ring of it and woke up again late.

I eat my breakfast,a bread with peanut butter and a coffee then take a bath.After washing my body,I smell my own breath.It smells smoke from the cigarette.So I decided to brush my teeth carefully.

No one in school knows that Im taking cigarette and alcohol in home even Izumi,since he still haven visit my apartment even once.A quite weird to think given the friendship we have in the past two years.

Anyways,Im already in the legal age to do those things but there are people who thinks it was weird for a highschool student in that situation.I couldn blame them.Afterall,there were correct somehow.

After confirming that my breath doesn smell bad anymore,I immediately wore my uniform and watch.I pick up my bag and my keys,lock the apartment,rodemy bicycle and went towards the school.

Upon arriving the school,I check my watch.It was already eight thirty in the morning.More late than yesterday.I parked the bike and walk in the stairs.

After arriving at my classroom,I knocked to the door.The teacher opened it to me.But it was different compared to yesterday since the schedule of the subject varies each day.

The teacher just scold me quickly.I apologize again and immediately went to my seat.As usual,my classmates didn give a thing about it.They are already used to this kind of situation.Actually,they are more suprised if I attend the school early.

Anyways,the class continues and after some time,the morning class ended and it was time for the lunch break.Then someone,specifically my friend Izumi called me out.

”Oi,Satoru.You will come again in the canteen?. ”

”Of course. ”

”I see.Since it was rare for me to accompany you in the canteen,let me treat you.Order what you want and I will pay you. ”

”Again?. ”

Well its not like it was the first time he treated me with my lunch food but the problem is that I haven done anything that I think I could pay back with his kindness.

Of course,I want to refuse this offer.But everytime I do that,we always ended arguing and he always won with that.So at the end,I couldn help but to accept it.

”Thank you very much,again. ”

”Don worry.This was only a rare event to happen so I wouldn mind. ”

What he mean is that he usually hanging out to what I called ”bestfriends ”.Im not sure if he also consider me in that state but I really don care what I am to him.

Anyways,we went to the canteen together.

Since he said I can order whatever I want,I will take this opportunity to change my usual lunch food.But at the same,I will not choose the most expensive one.I can at least afford to do that.

At the end,I just choose the balance valued meal.Suprisingly,Izumi also chose that.

We both sat in the vacant table and started eating.And after we finished the food,Izumi started a conversation.

”So hows the competition?.Did you win?. ”

As expected,this is the first thing that he will ask to me.Of course,I already have answer with that.

”Unfortunately,no.I only got a criticism review,

probably from one of the judge. ”

”I see. ”

He is somehow showing a plain expression.It feels like he want to console me.But at the same time,it feels like he was somehow sad.

”Are you trying to submit again in the next competition?. ” he continue

”No.I think I will stop now for doing this. ”

”Huh!?. ”

He was suprised to my reply.It was already expected because of the times where I always definitely become an author someday.So saying that I will not stop now,after those two years of hardwork really left him in shock.

”That judge said that my story will not be able to attract many readers.At first sight,I want to deny that but after thinking some time,I realized that he was right afterall. ”

”But you should not let that one criticism to make you down.Different writers ha- ”

”You haven read any of my stories I created in the past two years right,Izumi?. ”

”Thats because you don want them to be read by me. ” he said,looking away from me.

Well the reason for that is because Izumi doesn really love reading novels.Whats more,Im writing a traditional mystery story.It was not just some sort of romance or fantasy one.And knowing him,Im sure he will got bored to it.Thats why I didn let him to read my works.

Additionally,lets say that he ended up liking it,nothing will change.Who I need to impress is not him but the judges from the competition Im participating.

But what if I let him to read one.I thought came to my mind.

”Did you want to read the work I submitted recently?. ”

”Of course!.This was something Im asking from for two years now. ” he said,returning his energetic composure.

”Then I will send to you the pdf file after I go home. ”

Maybe theres nothing to lose here if I let him read one of my works.

”Going back to the topic,are you really serious?.For giving up the dream of becoming an author?. ”

I didn answer immediately.Instead,I look first far away to him.I saw students,happily chatting to the place Im looking.I can also spot some couples,flirting to each other.

”Satoru?. ”

Because of the delay for my reply,Izumi called my name.He is probably thinking that I was in the middle of deep thoughts right now.

”I don know.I don know anymore. ”

At the end,I just gave him a vague answer.

After that,I took a sip from the water bottle,

which was also included to his treat.

”By the way,it may be rude for me to say but… ”

”Hmmm. ”

While drinking,he asked a question not related anymore to the topic earlier.Thats what I like to him.He can sense where to hold back to the complicated topics.Meanwhile,he finished his question.

”Your hair,my friend.When are you going to barber it?. ”

Now that he said it,I check my hair and it was already long.Of course,Im trying to ignore but since he remind it again,I couldn help but to be conscious of it.If I remember correctly,my last trim happen last year.

”Maybe next month. ”

”Eh?.But didn you also said that when I asked the same question last month?. ”

”Really?.I couldn remember it. ”

”Remember heh.Maybe you just don want to trim your hair. ”

Well,he was not lying about that.I just really don want to cut my hair.But I have a more valid reason for that.

”Im poor,Izumi.You must already know that right?.Im saving my allowance per month.And one of the ways to do that is to avoid trimming my hair in the barber shop as long as possible. ”

”I know.I know.But if thats the case,how about it.Hang out to me in upcoming Sunday.I will treat you. ”

Hmmm.That was a good offer.Too much of kindness.But unlike to my meal,I need to refuse now.

”No.I will pass.I don want to be debt to my friend.Whats more,Im tired of going outside during weekends. ”

The first sentence is truth.But the second is a lie.

”Izumi,you… ”

”Don worry.This hairstyle really suits me well right?. ”

He is about to say something but I immediately talk ahead to him.I know that we will argue and he will win again.I want to avoid that.

”I don know about that.I think that you will look more handsome if you trim your hair. ”

”Hmmm. ”

Handsome huh.From the way how he said it,

he seems serious about that statement.But it will not still change my decision.

”Anyways,now that we already finished eating,

how about we go back to our classroom?. ”

”Well,your right. ”

I tried to end our conversation there with that suggestion.Izumi immediately agreed to me.

Since I already told to him the results of the competition,theres nothing to talk about anymore.

We both stood up from our chairs,gave back our trays to the canteen,throw our water bottles and walked together,heading to the classroom.

When we arrived,we weny back to our seats.

Izumi,as usual,talked to our other classmates.

On the other hand,I just stared in the window,

putting my right arm to my chin,serving it as stand.Since I just finished reading a novel yesterday,my motivation to read again another book have gone now.So I kill time by starring in the sky.There,I spotted some birds,flying nonchalant as if they are freed from the cage.And the weather today is pleasant so the sunlight is very visible right now.

After some minutes,the bell finally rung.It was now time to start the afternoon class.After listening to the lessons that was teach us by the teachers,the class finally ended.Our homeroom teacher doesn give any announcement so we are free to go now.

While preparing my things,someone-Izuni suddenly call me.

”Oi Satoru. ”

”What now?. ”

”Do you have something to do after this?. ”

”Hmmm?. ”

”I mean if you like,did you want to hang out to us in a karaoke?. ”

An invitation huh.I glanced to the people in the back.It seems like they are at least four people who will go with Izumi.I actually didn have plan today.And to be honest,I also want to go.But the problem is that Im not close to one of his other ”friends ”.So there is only answer for this.

”No.I will pass.I have something to do in the home. ”

”I see. ” he said,with somehow dissappointed look.

At the end,I lied to him.That was the only way to refuse his invitation without pushing the topic any futher.And it was effective.

After that,although I reject his invitation,we at least both walked down,together with his peers,in the stairs.Although we immediately parted away after reaching the school gate.Even though I haven gone in the karaoke that he was talking about,(yes,in the past two years)I know that it was the opposite direction from the road I take.

”Then take care on going home,Satoru. ”

”You too,Izumi. ”

After that farewell,I got my bike from the parking lot and rode it.After some minutes,I finally arrived at my home.I parked again the bike and went inside my apartment.

I changed my clothes immediately.Then eat a slice of bread with peanut butter.After eating,I decided to kill time by watching random stuffs in the Youtube and Facebook.

While watching,I remember something.

”The PDF file… ”

I almost forgot that.I immediately got my phone and send the PDF file I made to Izumi.

To be honest,Im actually didn care if he just ignore it or not.Although I think that he will give it a try knowing his desperation to read one of my works in the past two years.

Anyways,after that,I went back on what Im doing.At some point,I found something interesting relating to mystery novel.I got curious and search it in Google.I read the articles and some interviews about it.

My curiousity made me to forgot the time.

When I looked at the time,it was already almost seven-oclock.

As usual,I started heating some water in the kettle.I get the noodles cup and open it.After waiting for a couple of minutes,the water already boiled.I turn of the stove and put the hot water in the noodles cup.With that,I finally started eating.

After finishing,I decided to take a cigarette.

Believe it or not,I treated cigarette as a dessert after eating.I went outside the apartment and stand in the small terrace and stay there for while.

While smoking,I looked at the stars.Just like yesterday,the clouds wete not very thick right now.So the stars were very visible to see.

After consuming the stick,I went back to the apartment and decided to brush my teeth.After that,I went to my bedroom and laid on the bed.

Since I already spent most of my time in the computer,I decided to sleep early.I close my eyes and after some minutes,I eventually fall asleep.

Maybe I will delay one more day.